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Proximity charging for electric vehicles

(UBC- you tube)An electric vehicle to be charged just pulls up over the wireless charger, lower left.

Sometimes the best ideas are the least complicated. With electric cars there has been a concern over the need to connect heavy plugs into sockets in sometimes cramped space, and in bad weather.

Now researchers at the University of British Columbia seem to developed a simple method of proximity charging.
Previous efforts at wireless charging involve high power emissions and high-frequency magnetic fields with as yet unknown potential health effects on humans.

UBC developers say the charger works in all weather conditions, even snow. (UBC-YouTube)

The UBC technology involves a “master” magnet mounted in the parking spot, which is spun using electricity from the grid. The electric vehicle is equipped with another magnet hooked up to a generator in the car. Whenever the vehicle parks near the master magnet, the slave magnet is automatically spun, turning the generator and thereby creating a current to charge the batteries. Charging starts immediately and is entirely automatic

Researchers say their proximity charger is 90% efficient compared to cable charging. UBC has been testing 4 chargers with its own fleet, and driver feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and they’ve applied for a patent
(MM with files from CBC)

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